Welsh ace backs global action day for squash to be allowed into the Olympics

Gary Baker on 21/09/2012

Wales' top male player has backed the worldwide drive to make squash an Olympic Games sport in eight years time.

Leading players and officials around the world are putting pressure on the International Olympic Committee to give them a chance in the 2020 Games.

And the Back The Bid campaign comes to a peak on October 20 with a World Squash Day.

Caerphilly-born Creed, who is currently getting over a slight hamstring injury sustained in Columbia recently, is fully behind the calls for squash to be accepted into the Games.

He said: "For our sport, if it does not get in (to the Games) in 2020, it will struggle. Having squash in the Olympics would also make a massive influence on the sport in Wales.

"A lot of people I speak to actually think that we are already in the Olympics. I thought it was guaranteed to be in for 2012 when we currently have the world number one and two (men) both from Britain."

Creed thinks that the misconception that squash is not a dynamic sport simply because, in major tournaments, players are seen walking around the court, may have something to do with it as has little TV coverage except in the early hours on satellite television and, hence, few sponsorship chances.

Yet global tournaments are often staged in front of thousands of people at iconic venues, like Dubai or in front of the Pyramids in Egypt, and the global nature of squash means that players from every continent, including Australasia, Africa, Europe and Asia, are in top 20 on the current men's world ranking list.

Among the women's world rankings, Welsh teenager Tesni Evans is up to her highest position ever this month at 45th. And, although it may not have earned her a mass of ranking points last month, Evans gave world number one Nicol David, from Australia, an examination in the Australian Open first round before going down 3-1.

Creed said the sport has to be included in the Olympics, given that it is already an integral part of the Commonwealth Games every four years.

"So many people play it recreationally and they get a good buzz out of it. I don't think they know that there are professionals around the world who play this for a living," said the 25-year-old.

"Take tennis. If you ask anybody who Andy Murray is, then most people will know. But, if you ask them who James Willstrop (world number one) or Nick Matthew (number two), who are both British, are, not that many would know."

One of those massive global events is the JP Morgan Tournament of Champions which takes place in January at another iconic venue.

"We are playing at Grand Central Station, New York, in one of their halls in January. We have to get into the public eye but it is about our sport being seen on TV."

Personally, Creed is hoping to be back in full training soon after his hamstring problem. "I am playing in Hong Kong in November in the World Series. With the hamstring, it is only a bit torn and a couple of damaged fibres.

"I did it when I slipped on some sweat on court but I've put a lot of good work in over the summer and trained hard. I've got some really good people to hit with as well.

"I have got up to number 79 in the world and my aim is to get into the top 60 by next April," he added.

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